Study at College of William and Mary

The College of William and Mary (W&M) is a public university, located in Williamsburg, Virginia. It is the second oldest institution of higher education in the U. S. and is one of the original eight institutions known as the Public Ivies. The College was founded in 1693 by a Royal Charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II, joint sovereigns of England, Scotland and Ireland. The campus sits on 1, 200 acres. W&M educated U. S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler. Its alumni list also includes John Marshall, U. S. supreme court chief justice; Henry Clay, speaker of the house; William Barton Rogers, MIT founder; and 16 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Academic life at William and Mary is spread across five schools and dozens of academic departments. It offers various undergraduate and graduate degree programs. W&M's sports teams are now known as the Tribe.

Profile of College of William and MaryThe campus of William and Mary is in Williamsburg, VA, which is a large suburb. The school is a public institution. Degrees at William and Mary include, at the school's highest level, the Doctoral degree.

Course Topics

The school has a greater breadth of degree programs (majors) than most colleges of its size. William and Mary is known for its programs in science and liberal arts.

William and Mary Selectivity

Admission at the school is selective, not open to all who apply. Getting into William and Mary is challenging; it only admitted 34% of those who applied in 2007. Three quarters of students in 2007 had SAT verbal scores of at least 630. Half of math SAT scores of accepted students fell between 620 and 710.

FacultyWilliam and Mary maintains a faculty/student ratio (full-time) which is better than most colleges. The school has a tenure system for senior faculty. The full-time faculty at William and Mary is well-paid, which often goes with faculty quality.

Student Enrolment

In 2007, the school had 7, 795 students enrolled (7, 448 full-time equivalent).

Student LifeFull-time students are the norm at William and Mary. The school has a residential or campus feel. William and Mary offers dorm rooms to a higher percentage of its students than do most colleges. The school values student athletics, and belongs to the Atlantic 10 Conference and Colonial Athletic Association. William and Mary Programs and Degrees